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There are things, for all time, which are decidedly the essence of Chicago: the Belushis, Michael Jordan, The Second City, thick-fingered Old-Style-drinking dudes who pronounce the word sausage as "saah-sidge," the Sears—err, Willis—Tower, hot dogs dragged through the garden, and deep-dish pizza. The most underrated of these, or maybe the least known outside the shores of Lake Michigan, is the Italian beef sandwich.
When I arrived here in 2001, my realtor Joe Quartana, a second-generation Irving Park resident and a serious food lover who always "had a guy" whenever I needed something done, introduced me to the local delicacy. Quartana has since then helped me buy and sell three homes, but he changed my Chicago life not through realty, but when he bought me my first beef.
He took me to the original Al's on Taylor Street and then Johnnie's in northwest suburban Elmwood Park. He saved me embarrassment by warning me of the "no cheese" rule, and cut down on my dry-cleaning bills by briefing me on the "Italian stance," whereby you hold the beef at 45 degree angle to the counter and lean over the sandwich, so the beef gravy (not jus, not juice, just gravy) lands below ya, but not on ya.
The Italian beef, in case you're not familiar (and that's doubtful, as hundreds of RedEye readers recently crowned it the king of all sandwiches in our bracket-style Best Sandwich Tournament), is usually a cheaper cut of beef--top round, butt or sirloin--roasted and spiced, drenched in gravy, nestled in a crusty white Italian roll and topped with either hot or sweet giardiniera. Many Chicagoans often truncate this to "giardinere," but either way, its rough translation from Italian is "from the garden" and it's an assortment of peppers, celery, carrots and other vegetables packed in oil and occasionally vinegar.
Served any other way, say with cheese, and you've got a Philly cheesesteak, or add a cup of jus on the side and it's a French dip. The French dip predates the Italian beef by 30 years or so, meaning the Italian beef is likely a descendant. The local origins are murky and contested, but most sources agree the originator was either Pasquale Scala, who established his namesake packing company in 1925 and served the Depression-era snack at weddings, or Al Ferreri and his sister- and brother-in-law Frances and Chris Pacelli Sr. who served it at the original Al's in Little Italy on Harrison and Laflin streets in 1938. The Pacellis later relocated to 1079 W. Taylor St., where they remain today.
The beef has made its way (through Al's franchising) as far as San Jose, Calif., and Jay Leno brought Mr. Beef on "Late Night with David Letterman" in 1989 (before they were archrivals).
Though it has a storied history, Chicagoans are often divided on the supremacy of beef. Royal Lichter, a North Side realtor and local foodie, said, "The idea of Italian beef is great, but mostly [are] very poorly executed. … I would not feel comfortable representing this to any visitor or even most Chicagoans. It could be Chicago's gift to the world, but not the average one." Alan Lake—a local chef and restaurant consultant (most recently at Chief O'Neill's), avid LTHforum.com poster and author of the forthcoming book "Garlic Manifesto"--grew up eating Al's sandwiches "al trunko … on my brother's deuce-and-a-quarter ragtop," he said. "It's the bee's knees. The real deal. The Mahatma Gandhi."
What better way to spend an afternoon than sinking my teeth into some of my favorite Italian beef sandwiches around town? I focused on places within city limits, but any discussion of beefs also should include the aforementioned Johnnie's in Elmwood Park (notably their combo, a beef stuffed with a spicy Italian sausage link) plus two other suburban notables: Scatchell's in Cicero, which has a well-salted and fresh-celery topped beef, and Chickies in Hillside, where the shaved spicy green-pepper giardiniera is one-of-a-kind. For the purposes of this tasting session and to level-set the field, I ordered all beefs dipped (the whole sandwich is dunked in the gravy) and topped with hot giardiniera.
Al's #1 Italian Beef
1079 W. Taylor St. 312-226-4017
Price: $6.05
Though they've franchised, I think the original location still makes the best. They cook their top sirloin butts in house with a proprietary blend of herbs and spices. There's a sweet top-note—perhaps nutmeg or allspice—that no other beef in the city possesses. The meat is so tender, it disintegrates into tiny shards, merges with the gravy-soaked bun and is punctuated with whole bits of coriander. Al's gravy is the ultimate in beefiness, flavored with rich fatty suet that you taste in an old-school French fry (check the frites at the Publican if you want to know what I'm talking about). The orange bun-staining giardiniera also includes slices of fennel. Any beef-eating here is enhanced by the signed photo of former governor Rod Blagojevich--encased behind bars and stuck with a label noting His Hairness's "parole day" as "Jan 2023"--that hangs in the dining room.
Joe Boston's Italian Beef
2932 W. Chicago Ave. 773-486-9536
Price: $5.50
Founded in 1949 as a social club, Joe Boston's son-in-law Spero Kutrubis still runs the place. Boston's cooks its beef in-house and slices it paper-thin on a deli slicer. There's a hint of oregano and lots of black pepper specks. The Italian loaves they use held up well to the gravy. The vinegary giardiniera here is packed with carrots and cauliflower, and the acidic tang of the veggies sliced through and offset the richness of the beef.
The Patio
1503 W. Taylor St. 312-829-0454
Price: $4.60
Opened in 1948, The Patio calls its sandwich "Italian Roast Beef." This is the thickest cut of the ones I tasted, more reminiscent of a plated slice of roast beef than the paper-thin meat at Boston's and shard-like meat of Al's. This beef had a nice bit of pepper, but was the least seasoned and could have used a touch more salt. The roll was still crispy and the least dipped. The giardiniera was fiery—the hottest of the bunch—and loaded with fresh curls of sliced celery.
Michael Nagrant is a RedEye special contributor. Reporters visit restaurants unannounced and meals are paid for by RedEye. email@example.com | @redeyeeatdrink


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At 2300m, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe, meaning the resort has a great snow record. Put simply, if there's no snow in Val Thorens then there's no snow anywhere! Forming part of the 600km Three Valleys ski domain, Val Thorens' extended skiing is excellent, with intermediates being particularly spoilt for choice. Advanced skiers also have plenty to play on with big moguls and access to the Maurienne Valley for off-piste adventures. In addition there's an excellent Snowpark to keep freestylers busy. Beginners too can enjoy Val Thorens with several gentle greens and easy blues scattered around the resort. There is no better all-around ski area anywhere in Europe, possibly the World.
As the resort is traffic-free and purpose-built, most accommodation options offer ski-in-ski-out accessibility. As well as being Europe's highest resort and part of the biggest linked ski area, Val Thorens has gained a reputation in recent years as a lively apres ski destination. The arrival of the raucous Folie Douce and the slightly more chilled Bar 360 mean that your apres ski party begins on the slopes in mid-afternoon. Back in resort you've got a choice of several bustling pubs, including Europe's highest in the Frog and Roastbeef. If you're still thirsty for more then the Alps' biggest underground nightclub, Malaysia, stays open almost until first lifts in the morning!
It's not all partying though. Val Thorens has developed many facilties over the years, including an indoor leisure centre with pool, extensive shopping, ice-driving, the list goes on!

subset: commoncrawl


text: Ecard - Happy Father's Day 5/5 (0 reviews) An e-card is the perfect choice to show someone you care, whilst supporting the charity at the same time! You can personalise one of our great card designs for a minimum donation of just £3. Environmentally friendly and quick to distribute, it is a great way to show you care. Just follow the simple steps below. How does it work? Use the below controls to write the message for your ecard and who it is from. You can then move on to adding your recipients in the final stage of this form. Please make sure that you have followed the correct format. How much will it cost? Up to 10 Recipients (0 - 10) £3.00 Up to 50 Recipients (10 - 50) £5.00 Up to 100 Recipients (50 - 100) £10.00 Over 100 Recipients (100+) £20.00 ECard Details Please fill in the form below with the message you want to be displayed inside your ecard, your name or the name of the person the card is from and finally the date in which you wish to send your ecard. ECard Message * Characters left: 250 From * Send Date * Preview Your ECard Recipient Details You can start adding your recipients by typing in their email address and name below. If you have a lot of recipients you can also upload a .csv file. Click Here to download our template. Indicates an error with a recipients format and must be fixed before upload. Indicates a potential error with a recipients format. This can be ignored. , Final Cost If would like to add a donation, you can do so during checkout. Thank You! 0 Recipients £3.00 Share this page on: Add to Wishlist Delivery & Returns Add to basket Customer Reviews Add your Review There are currently no reviews for this product Add your Review


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Yost would prefer revision to callup rule
KANSAS CITY -- Put Royals manager Ned Yost among the baseball folks who feel the current rule on September callups needs a bit of revising.
"I think they should tweak it. I think there should be a limited number of players that you can use on your roster, and you can change it day to day," Yost said.
The current rule permits clubs to call up players on their 40-man roster, inflating the 25-man active rosters from Sept. 1 through the end of the regular season. The idea is to give competing teams additional talent for the stretch run, or, in the case of non-contenders, to allow them a chance to view up-and-coming Minor Leaguers.
There's concern, though, that it makes for an uneven playing field at a crucial time of year. One manager with 29 players might have to try to ponder the moves that another manager with 35 players could make. It's been pointed out that Tony La Russa, when managing the Cardinals, stocked up with so many pitchers that he could switch according to lefty-right matchups continuously.
A solution would be to allow callups, but limit the roster to a specified number each day for a team.
"It's got to be more than 25," Yost said. "If it's 30 or 28 or 29 -- I don't know what the number is. It's not up to me to decide, but I think it ought to be consistent, and both teams ought to have the same number of players."


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Antici-pation: 10 notable coming attractions
Lists are stupid.
Looking over the schedule for the rest of 2003 (including films being released for award consideration that you may not see until next year, if at all), it doesn't look like I'm going to have a lot of days where I wake up with a smile thinking, "Wow, I'm going to the movies!"
It would be easier to come up with 20 titles I'm dreading (The Cat in the Hat, e.g.) than 10 I'm eagerly anticipating, but I'm sure when the hype machines get busy, they'll raise my expectations (and yours) for many more.
Actually, low expectations work to a film's advantage where critics are concerned. Had I expected Seabiscuit to be the best picture of the first seven months of the year, I wouldn't have been as excited when it turned out to be just that. The higher my hopes, the harder the fall.
This isn't necessarily a list of the movies you should be looking forward to. That would include American Splendor, Camp, and The Magdalene Sisters, which might not have been on my list before I saw them.
Most of my choices involve directors and/or actors whose work I've enjoyed previously. I'd include Tim Burton's Big Fish, but it doesn't have a release date yet, other than "4Q."
This list is ordered by national release dates, which don't always indicate when (if ever) they'll play Charlottesville. Some of the dates will change, but they're taken from the latest lists.
And lists, as we know, are stupid.
The United States of Leland (9/12) - Ryan Gosling is the most exciting young performer of recent years (yes, I've seen all of Ashton Kutcher's movies), and this one got a lot of good buzz at Sundance, as did runners-up The Station Agent and The Mudge Boy.
Anything Else (9/19) - Woody Allen's recent track record hasn't been great, but he should have another masterpiece in him. Maybe this will be it. Then again, it's got him romancing a woman (Christina Ricci) one-third his age...
Out of Time (10/3) - Sounds like director Carl Franklin is returning to the noir-ish tone of One False Move, and this time he's got Denzel as his star.
Kill Bill (Part I) (10/10) - It's Tarantino, man, so it makes the list, even though I'm only half as excited as I was before Harvey Weinstein decided to double his money by releasing it in two parts. If each Lord of the Rings segment can run three hours, why can't Kill Bill?
The Runaway Jury (10/17) - Cusack, Hackman, and Hoffman in a John Grisham courtroom thriller. Sounds like a supersize popcorn movie. Curiously, they've changed the villain from a tobacco company (in the novel) to a gun manufacturer.
Stuck on You (12/12) - Cher meets the Farrelly Brothers, with Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear playing conjoined twins. I'm already feeling guilty for enjoying it!
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (12/17) - After the disappointment of The Matrix Reloaded, which trilogy are you looking forward to seeing concluded? It's been speculated from the start that this one will bring home the Oscars for all three. But please, not so much Gollum this time.
Mona Lisa Smile (12/19) - Julia Roberts in what sounds like a female version of Dead Poets Society. Wait, can I change my vote?
Cold Mountain (12/25) - Round two of the Oscar showdown between Kidman and Zellweger in Anthony Minghella's adaptation of Charles Frazier's well-respected Civil War novel. Did they really have to go to Eastern Europe to film the American South?
The Company (12/25) - Robert Altman doesn't make a Nashville or The Player very often, but I'm always first in line to see what he'll do next. Based on Neve Campbell's idea of a story set in a ballet company, it could be a "turning point" in both their careers.


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I was surprised when reading an apologetics book recently that attempted a rebuttal of the claim that "An immaterial mind cannot interact with the physical order." Here was the response:
How could a spiritual entity interact with the physical order? How could a god, an immaterial mind, affect or move matter? If mind cannot interact with matter, then a supernatural entity cannot create a natural or physical world.
Admittedly, we have no idea how mind can move matter. But how big a problem is this? It could be monumental if it were not for one thing: in the end, we have no idea how matter moves matter. Despite what is sometimes said, we do not actually experience physical causality in any deep way. We see that matter moves matter in some sense, but we do not see why or how it happens. We see someone throw a pencil across the room: we can see the hand grasp the pencil, we can see the arm move back, and we cna see the pencil leave the hand and fly across the room. We do not, however, see the causation. Hume was right on this point: all we have are laws associating causes with effects.
Is this an accurate statement? I'm hoping that this is more of a physics question than a philosophical one. Perhaps the answer is as simple as to whether we understand how matter moves matter. Though, I'll grant that I can't tell if they are using "moves" in the billiard ball striking sense or in the sense of some philosophical first cause sense. All of their examples use a human choosing to do something rather than just discussing whether we know how a moving billiard ball moves one it strikes.


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Campbell Brown is quitting CNN – and not because she simply wants to spend more time with her family.
The "no bias, no bull" ex-NBC News reporter announced Tuesday that weak ratings have fueled her decision to step down as CNN prime-time host and exit the network entirely.
Brown said she could say she was leaving to spend more time with her two young children or pursue new opportunities, and both would be partly true.
U.S. & World
"But I have never had much tolerance for others' spin, so I can't imagine trying to stomach my own," she said. "The simple fact is that not enough people want to watch my program, and I owe it to myself and to CNN to get out of the way so that CNN can try something else."
CNN has struggled in the prime-time ratings as cable news viewers have increasingly sought edgier, more opinionated programming.
Brown's time slot is dominated by Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly, who is averaging 3.3 million viewers this year, and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, who has 1 million viewers. The longtime rivals are political polar opposites who host the top-rated hours on their respective networks.
Nancy Grace on CNN's sister HLN network averages 745,000 viewers in the time slot, according to the Nielsen Co. Brown's show stands at 574,000.
CNN's prime-time problems with Brown, Larry King and Anderson Cooper have given rise to dozens of armchair program directors who have published advice this spring. Now CNN's executives will have their first shot at doing something new.
CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein said he respects Brown's decision and wishes her well. "We will announce our programming plans in the coming weeks," he said.
Brown's decision comes at a time when CNN has reportedly been talking with CBS News about ways to combine forces, although nothing has been publicly done.
CNN has tested its own ideas, and there's been talk of reviving some version of its old "Crossfire" political debate show, which was a template for opinionated talk on cable in the 1990s. CNN canceled the series soon after Comedy Central's Jon Stewart ridiculed it. One segment that has appeared on Brown's show features Mary Matalin and Roland Martin in a political debate, an idea that could potentially be expanded.
Brown noted in a statement her "indomitable" rivals on the other networks.
"Shedding my own journalistic skin to try to inhabit the kind of persona that might co-exist in that lineup is simply impossible for me," she said. "It is not who I am or who I want to be, nor is it who CNN asked me to be at any point. This is the right decision for me and I hope it will be a great opportunity for CNN."


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Tag: remove
Reduce Junk Mail with Catalog Choice
This is the time of year that companies start hounding people with piles of catalogs, and I've definitely seen an uptick. Catalog Choice makes it easy to be removed from mailing lists. For a $20 donation you can sign up to be removed from all traded mailing lists, or you can look up individual catalogs […]
Posted: November 11th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
Tags: catalog choice, credit card offers, junk mail, mailing list, remove, valpak, Without junk mail what will I shred to feed the worms?, yellow pages
Comments: 4


text: About Tourism Australia's economy benefits significantly from tourism, generating jobs, investment and growth in communities throughout Australia. Tourism has the potential to be one of Australia's key strengths and a sector which is set for supercharged growth in the Australian economy. Australia has competitive advantages in tourism through proximity to Asia, appealing natural assets, a safe environment, and the services provided by low cost airlines. Austrade's role in Australia's tourism industry is to develop policy, attract investment and provide research to grow Australia's tourism market share.


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That is a very interesting question. I have posted it up on our other forum to see what they all think there.
If you want to view the thread and respond there also, simply follow http://forums.delphiforums.com/Using...ges?msg=6158.1
I'll have to think on my answer to it so I'll get back to you about this later, but in the meantime, welcome to UsingEnglish!


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Today I'm in the school spelling bee. Whick stinks. I'll get slaughtered. BUT THEN I'LL KILL EVERYONE OVER XBOX LIVE!!!!!
Count to 1500!
For those addicting little forum games.
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Re: Count to 1500!
XEON BOX GAMES - XBG is a blast from the past of a pirate mast to a cars thats fast.
You dare challenge me to Halo:Reach? You must die!
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Re: Count to 1500!
1054- so you must be a middle schooler. Only middle schools have spelling bees, I should know. I pwned everyone. Funny thing is, I learned to spell all because of video games. don't worry, it ain't that bad.
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Ray was out of town and it was a cold cloudy day. As we ran to our car, we felt random raindrops land on our nose or our hand. My kids were bundled up and asking for hot chocolate, but we had made a commitment – I had made a commitment. We were to be part of a shoot for an online commercial for Qusik.
The video shoot was to take place in a beautiful backyard. And the scene? A swim party. Um, what was I thinking?
I will leave to your imagination what may have gone down that afternoon, and instead share with you how my kids went from saying it was "the worst day ever" to it was "the best day ever." And, it has nothing to do with the product the commercial would advertise. Go figure.
There was a package waiting for us on our doorstep when we arrived back at home, still shivering despite the hot chocolate treat. Everyone ignored it and rushed to make themselves warm. We were changed and cozy, and just about ready for bed, when Noah spotted the box by the front door…
Inside was an Xbox with Kinect and RUSH, Disney's newest game, and it took us all by surprise. You can bet we hooked that thing up and spent the evening staying very warm jumping, running, dodging, and saving as Disney super heroes!
I will always remember that day as the day I froze my kids. But, my kids? They will always remember that day as the day their wishes for an Xbox and Kinect came true.
The game and Xbox with Kinect were sent to us by our friends at Microsoft and Walmart in exchange for our honest opinions. More to come later, including hilarious video of my kiddos playing.


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This weekend, Petaluma, California celebrates it's 29th Butter & Egg Days with a parade, street fair and antique fair. It's a local version of Founders' Day in that it celebrates the town's heritage. When we moved to Petaluma in 1999, a neighbor told us that everyone in town is either IN the parade or AT the parade. They were absolutely right! We went from bystanders to pulling red wagons full of princesses, cowboys and chicks over the years. It's the highlight of the year for just about every child in town and it is one of the many things that make Petaluma one of America's great small towns.
Butter & Egg Day letterpress poster design by Erin Shetterly, ©Dauphine Press


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Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana
Jammu and Kashmir: Remote villages in Shopian get electricity for the first time with PM's Soubhagya scheme
Electricity to these villages has been provided under the central government's Saubhagya Scheme launched by PM Modi in 2017.
Latest News
News Reports
MP Forest Department initiates Elephant Adoption Scheme at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve for adoption of old and retired elephants
Week-long Hathi Mahotsav began in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve on Monday this week during which the elephants in the Reserve will be given a break and will be served.
Denmark Ambassador to India calls out The Hindu for spreading fake news regarding comment by Danish PM over COVID-19 in India
Ambassador of Denmark to India, Freddy Svane, has called a report by The Hindu "twisted news".
Watch: TMC leaders and cadres in West Bengal protest Farm Bills with DJ, dance, gun and blood
With the Durga puja fever setting in TMC cadres were seen dancing and singing as they protested against the farmers bills
All you need to know about the Hathras gang rape case
Dispelling the news on social media, the Hathras police said that victim's tongue was not cut off but injured.
News Reports
'The law applies equally to all and it shall apply to Amnesty International as well,' MHA gives the dubious NGO a royal dressing down....
Amnesty International had accused the central govt of a witch-hunt against it blaiming them for its decision to wrap up
Recently Popular
Sanatana Dharma vs Bollywood on Republic Bharat: Arnab Goswami goes to war
Arnab Goswami has been at the forefront of the campaign against the drag racket in Bollywood and has not pulled any punches.
News Reports
'Maal is cigarette and hash are its different brands', Deepika Padukone makes bizarre claims when confronted with 'drug' chats: Report
Deepika Padukone and others were apprised in advance as to what needed to be said during the interrogation, claimed NCB
News Reports
"Your time of death has come", radical Islamists attack actress-politician Nusrat Jahan on social media after she poses as Goddess Durga
An Instagram user, Sagar Hossain, questioned Nusrat Jahan, "Why do you support Hindus despite being a Muslim?"
News Reports
Argentina: Legislator kisses bare breast of his girlfriend during online parliament session, resigns after the video goes viral
Juan Emilio Ameri claimed that he assumed that the camera was off and wanted to check out his girlfriend's new breast implants
News Reports
Amnesty International, which had links to British govt and Islamist orgs shuts shop in India after it says the govt froze all its accounts:...
The government of India has stated that Amnesty has been receiving foreign funding and donations despite not registering under FCRA.


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With Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey releasing in just a couple of months (squee!), you can expect the marketing machine to begin steamrolling audiences starting…now! Just yesterday we brought you this fantastic Dwarf-centric poster for the film. Today, we stick with the Dwarves but instead of stacking them together unceremoniously, this new banner poster gives each of them their fair share of elbow room.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, James Nesbitt, William Kircher, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown and Stephen Hunter and opens December 14th, 2012. Hit the jump to check out the banner poster.
Via The Hobbit's Twitter account, users can chop up the following Dwarf character scroll to create unique wallpapers, Facebook profile images, etc. Head here to check out the scenes you can choose from. Make sure to click on the new character banner below to view in hi-def:
Here's the synopsis for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.


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Close, but no cigar. That was the story of the Detroit Lions' 2010 season, wasn't it? Here was a team that was right there -- a lot -- but couldn't get wins until the last month of the season. There were some moral victories. There were some curiously questionable calls (Ndamukong Suh on Jay Cutler, anyone?). There were some weird calls (take a guess what play I'm referring to). But, at the end of the day, there were only six wins.
Detroit has been collecting 10-loss seasons for quite some time now. Other than 2007, when the Lions went 7-9, the last time this club didn't lose 10 games was way back in 2000 -- Bobby Ross was resigning at midseason and Matt Millen was in broadcasting (the first time around).
Here are some questions that will determine how one of the league's most historic franchises can avoid losing double-digit games again:
1. Can Stafford stay on the field?
In a room full of concerns, there's one Fat Albert sitting right in the middle: Matthew Stafford's health. The franchise quarterback has started a grand total of 13 out of 32 possible games since being tabbed the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Sure, he's shown flashes of brilliance, and toughness, during that time. But flashes are flashes, and streaks are streaks. The rich quarterback with a bum shoulder has never started more than six games in a row.
Stafford has suffered three major shoulder injuries in just two seasons. It's getting to the point that every time he's thrown to the turf, one wonders if he'll get up clutching his arm. And it's a shame, because most people around the league feel he's the most talented of the 2009 rookie class that includes the Buccaneers' Josh Freeman and the Jets' Mark Sanchez. In limited action last season, he compiled a 91.3 passer rating with six touchdowns and just one pick.
None of that means anything if he can't stay on the field. Moreover, his injury isn't just one domino falling in a row of 11. He's the double ship in Galaga, capable of doing twice the damage to other teams' -- or his team's -- hopes, by virtue of whether or not he's on the field. He's a big talent, and with an offensive line that can be inconsistent, he's also a big target. Coach Jim Schwartz has to find ways to protect him, while Stafford has to stay healthy.
2. Twin turbo, or twin turf toes?
What's a great way to keep your quarterback upright? Run the football. That's hard to do when your stud running back had not one, but two, injured big toes. Think about that. Two big toes in sometimes excruciating pain, and Jahvid Best is supposed to cut on a dime. Barry Sanders and Billy Sims would have trouble cutting on one bad toe, much less one on each foot.
"Turf toe" is like watching the movie The Notebook in that it doesn't sound painful, but it is. Best hurt both toes early in the season, and did his very best to play through it. While the rookie was explosive at times, Detroit's ground attack left a lot to be desired most of the season.
This is a tricky injury that ended Jack Lambert's career early, shortened Deion Sanders' career, and has impacted countless others. If it lingers for Best, then the Lions will rely on Stafford and the passing game a lot more. That's not good.
3. What direction to go in draft?
The problems of Best and Stafford aside, bolstering the offensive line would be one way to help both quarterback and running back. Look for general manager Martin Mayhew to hit this group in the draft or free agency, CBA issues notwithstanding.
Most followers of the Silver-and-Honolulu-Blue feel defense will be the focus of the draft in April. While the club has its own brand of "the triplets" in Stafford, Best and "Megatron," Calvin Johnson, the defense still has too many Gobots and not enough Transformers. Time to add some more expensive toys at linebacker (Texas A&M's Von Miller?), as well as adding another piece in the secondary. Actually, maybe two, if corner Chris Houston leaves via free agency.
Make no mistake, the Lions' front four, anchored by 2010 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Suh, is one of the better lines in the business, but that only goes so far if ...
4. Will Lions have a problem at corner?
... Houston ends up departing. Despite being thrown on 78 times last season, he only allowed 42 receptions, while batting away 12 balls. Detroit's pass defense made huge strides with Houston lining up every week, as well as the pass rush the front four provided. But if Houston's not re-signed, Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch and the boys won't be getting as many coverage sacks.
Lions fans are cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs about the idea of adding free agent Nnamdi Asomugha, but the team can't bank on that, so to speak. This group needs an upgrade as safeties Louis Delmas (23) and Amari Spievey (24) are young and still make mistakes. Ditto Alphonso Smith, who is only 25.
Re-signing Houston is imperative. Adding a veteran presence in free agency or drafting a stud in the first round who can play now (perhaps Nebraska's Prince Amukamara?) might push this team to the next level.
5. Can Lions deliver a knockout punch?
If we lived in Candyland and Stafford's shoulder issue didn't exist, then it's quite possible that the biggest rain cloud over this franchise would be its lack of a haymaker. This club just hasn't possessed a knockout right hook. The problem is so ingrained in the team that even when Shaun Hill and Johnson delivered one in Chicago to open the season, the refs took it back. It's eerie.
This is a club that lost games by five, three, two, three, two and four points. If Detroit had won just half those games, you're looking at a 9-7 team. Schwartz has built a group that can keep games close with an excellent front four and an offense that has guys who can make a big play when needed. Now all Schwartz needs is a team mentality that doesn't include, "here we go again." In other words, when things get tight in the fourth quarter or during midseason, this club -- from the top on down -- has to leave those attitudes at the door and find ways to win a la the Jets, Packers and Bears last season.
Elliot Harrison is the research analyst for NFL RedZone on NFL Network.


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Analysis: A new law to offset Citizens United?
President Obama ordered his aides on Thursday "to get to work immediately with Congress" to develop "a forceful response" to the Supreme Court's ruling in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case. In a statement, the President denounced the decision, saying it "has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics." It was obvious, therefore, that he was interested in working with Congress to overturn the decision, or at least to narrow it significantly.
Unless he has in mind an amendment to the Constitution, however, it is most unclear at this point whether the lawmakers could do anything — or much of anything — to cut down on "special interest money" in American politics. This was a constitutional decision, laying down (essentially for the first time), a sweeping free-speech right in politics for "special interest" bodies of all types with the concept of "speech" clearly embracing spending money to influence election outcomes. If individuals have considerable freedom to express themselves politically, corporations, labor unions, and other "special interest" entities now do, too.
While the First Amendment's guarantees of freedom are far from absolute, any time a legislative or other government body attempts to curtail those freedoms, the effort starts with a decidedly negative outlook. Such restrictions come with the heaviest burden of proof of necessity that any governmental act must put forth in order to win judicial approval. And, on Thursday, the Court simply made that burden a good deal heavier in the realm of curbs on political speech, in the form of spending money on campaigns, or otherwise.
Given the degree to which many Republicans in Congress had wished longingly for a First Amendment decision precisely like the one that emerged in Citizens United, it is by no means a certainty than the GOP leaders would enlist in what the President's statement suggested should be a "bipartisan" effort. In fact, the Senate GOP leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has been a consistent foe of federal restrictions on corporate spending in national politics, and was one of the leaders six years ago of the effort to get the Court to strike down an array of federal campaign finance restrictions.
Moreover, given the election result Tuesday in the Massachusetts race for a Senate seat, there is reason to doubt that the White House will be able to carry off a significant effort to get a "forceful response" to Citizens United, especially when the real-world effect of that decision in federal campaigns is likely to be greater spending in favor of GOP candidates, since corporations have deeper pockets than, say, labor unions.
As White House legislative analysts think of potential responses to the ruling, it is conceivable that they will not even try to put new restaints on "special interest" spending, because of the constitutional barrier that now stands to stymie that approach. So long as "special interest" groups spend their political dollars on campaign efforts independent of candidates or party organizations, the Citizens United barrier to restrictions will be in place. There thus are fewer options for a legislative counter-measure.
The White House and Congress perhaps could approach the new money situation indirectly, by trying to put more distance between corporate, union or other "special interest" spending and the intended beneficiaries of that spending: favored candidates. One approach would be to increase the transparency of "special interest" spending by more rigorous disclosure legislation, in hopes of exposing more vividly who is in fact benefiting and, perhaps, by embarrassing the beneficiaries. (This is the one kind of legislative approach that the Supreme Court upheld on Thursday.)
Congress conceivably could attack the perceived problem of money-in-politics by another indirect means, by tightening restrictions on dealings between lobbyists and elected officials, including legislators. Lobbying, too, has First Amendment protection, but it is an activity that can be regulated at least at the level of disclosure. A drastic approach might be to expand the concept of questionable vote-buying, by requiring a more detailed public accounting of how lawmakers vote in relation to lobbyists with whom they deal directly and in relation to the industries who may benefit from legislative favors that flow out of the lobbyists' efforts. One perhaps frivolous suggestion already making the rounds of political conversation is to require legislators to wear NASCAR-style uniforms, emblazoned with the logos of their corporate "sponsors."
Tightening of lobbying restrictions, however, has been shown to be exceedingly difficult to get through Congress, precisely because there is no such thing as a "bipartisan" consensus on the need for such new measures.
Another indirect option (mentioned by a reader of the blog) would be to move toward public financing of congressional elections and enhancing such financing arrangements for the presidential candidates. That, it is suggested, may move toward reducing the influence of big-money donors, including major corporations.


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|Find the best surf spots
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Datum: WGS84 [ Help ]
Latitude: 10° 18.981' N
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ask for Las Tortugas Hotel, it's 10 steps from it.
DistanceDay trip
WalkLong walk (>30 mn)
Easy to find?OK
Public access?Public access
Special accessDon't know
Alternative name las tortugas
Wave qualityRegional Classic
ExperienceAll surfers
DirectionRight and left
PowerFast, Fun
Normal lengthShort (< 50m)
Good day lengthNormal (50 to 150m)
Good swell directionNorthWest, West
Good wind directionSouthEast, East
Swell sizeStarts working at Less than 1m / 3ft and holds up to 3m+ / 10ft+
Best tide positionMid and high tide
Best tide movementRising and falling tides
Week crowdCrowded
Week-end crowdUltra crowded
- Localism
its a nice and constant spot but very crowded
standing on beach...main break to your left...other to your right. both good, both crowded , On-shore wind can come up in the afternoon (thermals). Best when high tide is around 6-9am.
Go to Las Tortugas Hotel and tell Louis the H-town boys sent you and you want to surf. They'll take care of you. There are simple little things you can do to get in the water and do your thing without 50000 peeps droppin' in on ya. Go for a walk, monkey-trail style, Louis will tell ya where to go....he told me. Bring some shade and board....Great spot...be back in Jan.
Pura Vida
Author: massimo Contributors (4) They surfed this spot ! (349)
No video available
|No surf trip
By jaxon , 16-07-2011
pipeline high tide - zero at low - First of all, who labeled this spot so south on the beach? Anyway, in winter (dry season), PG frequently gets massive, dredging, offshore left barrels at high tide...very reminiscent of smaller+ pipeline. However, if you saw it at med-low tide, you'de think it couldn't even be a surf spot. Gets very crowded...unfortunately with a lot of untalented/druggy surfers and rude brazilian wave hogs. Getting dropped in on happens a lot, no matter if you're a an advanced surfer with perfect wave priority (makes a beautiful spot ugly). I've also almost stepped on used hypodermic needles on the beach near where the cars camp.
By Santiago Garza , 03-12-2008
Grande - I've been living over here for a while and Grande is my favorite wave...
It gets crowded and is pretty useless during low tide, but most spots in this area are. (during low tide, head to el tortugero on the other side of the rivermouth by langosta) The main break for grande is right in front of the parking area, with a couple smaller peaks off to the sides. mostly breaks right but with some solid lefts as well.
Great wave, much bigger than the surrounding areas.
By ferdinand , 30-05-2008
Grande - Been hangin out here now for a couple weeks. Chillin with my boy Dingbatz at the end of the road behind Kike's restaurant. He's gotta a surf factory and repairs boards, very well too! He shaped outta huntington for a while so he knows whats up! Fun little baech break break with some potential but the crowds can get annoying like anywhere. Cool low key town with tons of spots within an hour or so driving distance. Might get lucky and see some turtles.
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Turn out the lights, take a deep breath, and prepare yourself. Explore the depths of the immersive, atmospheric world of Kraven Manor. Uncover its secrets, solve its mystical puzzles, and face the growing threat within. Kraven Manor challenges you to explore an expansive manor and discover the mysteries that lurk within its walls. You have the power to dynamically alter the layout out the manor by interacting with a miniature scale model of the manor, located in its extravagant entryway. You must explore the depths of the manor to find miniature models of rooms and carry them back to an increasingly elaborate scale model puzzle. Using these models, you dynamically build the manor around you. Whenever you adjust the models, the rooms move and appear in real space, awaiting your arrival. With each new room comes a new revelation of the troubling past of William Kraven. Face your fears and see if you have what it takes...the doors of Kraven Manor await you.
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Welcome to Magic Ala Mode !!
8:06 AM | Edit Post
Yes, it's time to open the doors of the castle and welcome you to Magic Ala Mode - a blog for the more grown up Disney fan girl! Do you love the magic of Disney? The Princesses? The Characters? The Parks? Well now you can get your news, inspiration and fun posts without feeling that slight twinge of "This obviously isn't targeted to me", well now it is!
I'm writing this blog since for myself I haven't been able to find a blog bringing this information and now I want to bring it for those who had a similar frustration. If you are curious as to what to look forward to check out this small yet growing blog for News posts, Movie Reviews, Product Announcements and more! We'll even have ways for you to get the coolest merchandise and find the neatest fan celebrations and way to bring about your love of the Mouse and more!
Look out in the next coming days for D23 Expo coverage and more!
Excited? Well you should be! Look out for more soon!
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This gorgeous appetizer is quick and easy for a weeknight dinner and even more gourmet for special guests.
Phyllo dough is sprinkled with parmesan cheese and rolled with fresh asparagus. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and- presto, you're done!
If you are on a Blackberry or I-phone, then head on over to a computer and watch this video. It's worth it!


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I flagged this question as "Too localized. The problem was a syntax error of misplacing a quote.", but my flag was rejected.
To be able to flag correctly in the future, I would like to understand why it's not too localized.
Should this question then be editted to describe the problem in a more generic way so that people who suffer from the same problem can find it more easily?
The question is now closed by votes. I guess that indicates that I flagged it correctly. As Pekka 웃 mentioned, it is still interesting to know why the flag was declined. I.e. do I need to word the reason differently, or was it just a mistake (I can imagine mods have a lot of flags to review).
I've changed the title of the question accordingly.


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Nozzle Kit for Small Portable Soda Blaster - This kit allows user to match nozzle to job (air/media mix pattern and volume) along with his air compressor capacity. Includes (2) 3/32" ID, (1) 7/64" ID, (2) 1/8" ID and (1) 5/32" ceramic nozzles. Made in USA. WARNING: Must be used with appropriate respiratory protection.
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Remove coatings without etching or warping the metal. Ideal for stripping fiberglass, steel and aluminum. This compact blaster is suitable for stripping subassemblies and individual components. Provides up to 30 minutes of blast time. Comes equipped with a 3/32" nozzle (requires 12 cfm at 80 psi), 5' by 1/2" ID abrasive hose, UL299 approved 10 lb capacity pressure tank, and instructions. Made in USA. WARNING: Must be used with appropriate respiratory and other protection. See "SAFETY" for more in depth information. instructions. Made in USA. WARNING: Must be used with appropriate respiratory
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The following is a transcript of remarks made March 3 by U.S. Ambassador Samantha Powers, Amercia's permanent representative to the United Nations, regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Thank you Madam President. Listening to the representative of Russia, one might think that Moscow had just become the rapid response arm of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. So many of the assertions made this afternoon by the Russian Federation are without basis in reality. Let's begin with a clear and candid assessment of the facts. It is a fact that Russian military forces have taken over Ukrainian border posts. It is a fact that Russia has taken over the ferry terminal in Kerch. It is a fact that Russian ships are moving in and around Sevastapol. It is a fact that Russian forces are blocking mobile telephone services in some areas. It is a fact that Russia has surrounded or taken over practically all Ukrainian military facilities in Crimea. It is a fact that today Russian jets entered Ukrainian airspace. It is also a fact that independent journalists continue to report that there is no evidence of violence against Russian or pro-Russian communities. Russian military action is not a human rights protection mission. It is a violation of international law and a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the independent nation of Ukraine, and a breach of Russia's Helsinki Commitments and its UN obligations.The whole article is available at:


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Whooping Cough: An Epidemic in Washington State
Pertussis also seen in Oregon, Wisconsin, Maine, and California.
THURSDAY, July 19, 2012 — Whooping cough outbreaks are hitting several states across the country, including areas in the Pacific Northwest, Wisconsin and Maine. The number of cases in these states has steadily increased in recent months and continues to rise.
In Washington, the State Department of Health declared an epidemic earlier this year, as numbers reached staggering levels. More than 2,500 people are reported to have whooping cough, compared to 179 cases reported during the same period in 2011.
"We're in the middle of a whooping cough epidemic," said Tim Church, director of communications for the Washington State Department of Health. "We have about 10 times the number of cases we would expect to see in a normal year."
Rising numbers also have been reported in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Maine. These startling numbers come after California had its worse bout with whooping cough in decades in 2010.
Pertussis, the formal name for whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It is characterized by uncontrollable, violent coughing that causes patients to take deep breaths that produces a "whooping" sound.
The disease is most dangerous for babies, with half of infants younger than 1 year of age diagnosed with pertussis requiring hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Prior to the 1940s when the pertussis vaccine became available, whooping cough was widespread in the United States. Though it has since fallen off the radar for many in the country, its recent comeback can be attributed to several factors, according to experts.
Tom Skinner, a spokesman for the CDC, said that although it may come to mind, the outbreaks are probably not the result of the increase in the number of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children from certain diseases. Some parents have chosen this route in recent years because of a highly discredited claim in a 1998 medical journal that the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is linked to autism.
"It's not likely that vaccine refusal is having a large role in this," he said. "Pertussis is a bacterium that's cyclical in nature. We see these outbreaks from time to time as immunity wanes in our populations."
Skinner said the best solution to stop the outbreak and prevent future instances from occurring is to make sure everyone is up to date on their vaccinations. This entails a series of shots in babies and children up to the age of 7 and a Tdap booster shot, which protects against pertussis, tetanus and diphtheria, for teenagers and adults. Since the adult pertussis vaccine only became available in 2005, many teenagers and adults are walking around unvaccinated.
However, even people who are vaccinated may be susceptible to the disease.
"The vaccination isn't 100 percent effective," Skinner said. "So there are some cases where a person may get whooping cough even though they have been vaccinated."
Another reason for the rise in numbers could be that more cases are being recognized and diagnosed than in past years when the symptoms may not have been as easy to recognize.
"Lab tests are much better at finding the pertussis bacterium," said Dr. Peter Cieslak, Medical Director of the Oregon Immunization Program. "This may be part of the reason we've seen higher case counts. The testing is just a lot better than it used to be."
Numbers in Oregon are much lower than in Washington, though they are still on the rise. There have been 388 cases reported as of June 25, compared with 134 cases during the same time in 2011.
"We've put out the word that pertussis is out there and that everyone should get vaccinated," Cieslak said.
For its part, the Washington State Department of Health started a public outreach campaign, trying to get as many people vaccinated as possible.
"We've been actively reaching out to doctors, clinics and the public, getting information out there to get as many people vaccinated to help fight the issue," Church said.
The CDC also sent three investigators to the state to help determine the cause of the outbreak and eliminate its spread.
Wisconsin is also being hit hard, though there has been a decline in the number of new cases in recent weeks. The state reported 1,524 confirmed cases of pertussis as of June 15, compared to 166 at the same time in 2011.
Dr. Marylyn Ranta, director of physician affairs at the Children's Hospital in Wisconsin said that people in the affected communities are responding quickly.
"When people hear pertussis, we want them to be alarmed," she said. "This is a horrible disease that can kill babies. It's incredibly important that the community gets vaccinated, which is what we have been seeing here."
The pertussis outbreak also has spread to Maine, where 158 confirmed and probable cases have been reported, compared to 54 cases around the same time in 2011.
For both patients and parents of those affected by whooping cough, the experience can be terrifying.
In December, Christen Graham of Cumberland County, Maine, noticed her daughter Rachel's cough would not go away.
"The cough interrupted every waking moment, and because it was constant, that meant every moment was waking, as she couldn't sleep," Graham said.
Graham recalled one instance where Rachel coughed so hard, her nose began to bleed violently. After a swab test, Rachel, who had been vaccinated for pertussis, was diagnosed with whooping cough and began treatment with antibiotics.
Dr. Stephen Sears, Maine CDC's state epidemiologist, said that although the number of cases in the state has increased every week in recent months, they are beginning to level off.
"School is out now, so I think there may be a chance we'll see a decrease after a while, but I'm not sure we're out of the woods just yet," he said. The disease could spread through the summer-camp population, as well.
"It's always a challenge to predict, but right now there are still susceptible individuals out there and it will be an issue until we can fully get the message out to vaccinate," he said.
However, even if the numbers do decline, experts say the U.S. hasn't seen the last of whooping cough.
"The vaccine is not going to eradicate pertussis," Cieslak said, "It isn't good enough to wipe out the disease, and it's going to be around indefinitely. So the message we want to get out is to do what you can to protect yourself and get vaccinated because we're going to continue to be exposed to it in the future."


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Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) has again made the list of Top 50 franchises in North America, according to Franchise Business Review's 2012 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards.
Each year, Franchise Business Review surveys more than 22,000 franchisees representing more than 300 franchise brands in a wide variety of industries. This year, KOA ranked 30th among the top 50 franchises in the Large Systems category, according to a KOA news release.
This is the fourth year in a row that Kampgrounds of America Inc. has ranked in the Top 50 franchises on Franchise Business Review's annual list.
"For the past 50 years, we've dedicated our efforts to building trust and confidence among our franchisees," said KOA CEO Jim Rogers. "Our campers are very faithful to the KOA brand, and we find the same is true among our franchisees. We have continually added support systems and mechanisms for our franchisees that allow them to spend more time with their guests, and they recognize that spending time working directly with guests to meet their needs is the secret to success."
Franchise Business Review President Michelle Rowan agrees with Rogers.
"We're seeing more of a focus from franchisors on unit profitability," Rowan said. "Franchisees are rating support from franchisors better than they were a few years ago. Everyone is more optimistic going into 2012."
Franchise Business Review annually recognizes franchisors with the highest overall franchisee satisfaction based on its survey of franchisees. The survey includes 33 benchmark questions, relating to the franchisee's experience and satisfaction as well as market area, training, support, system quality issues, business lifestyle and overall satisfaction. Franchise Business Review contacts each franchisee individually with an average franchisee participation rate of 70 percent.
But Kampgrounds of America doesn't stop there. KOA uses additional mechanisms to track how franchisees feel about the company and their individual businesses. KOA conducts its own internal Franchisee Satisfaction Survey each year, and holds an annual convention where franchisees are encouraged to voice their successes and concerns. Additionally, KOA has franchisee advisory groups that meet regularly with KOA leadership to help shape future strategies.


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March 1st, 2009 - Love, war, and gaming
With Mike and Allan.
This one's a slightly longer show, which has been delayed in file malfunction hell for a while. We didn't want to give up on it, though, so here it is, finally – our DunDraCon 2009 show. We'll get back into our twice-monthly show pattern as quick as we can.
As per our new format, we hit the Gaming News Update first (1:02), and hear of the Konami/Upper Deck disagreement over Yu-Gi-Oh, three card game expansions coming from Atlas Games, Free RPG Day 2009, and Green Ronin's A Song of Ice and Fire arriving in stores after a slight delay. (If you want your gaming news in bite-sized podcast form, along with occasional industry interviews and stories, check out the OgreCave Gaming News Update page at http://www.ogrecave.com/newsupdate ).
After brief discussion at (4:56) of CCGs in general, we turn to DunDraCon 2009, which Allan attended. (7:45) After describing the show at bit to set the stage, we have a silly segment showing two different ways gamers might handle Valentine's Day, which hit during the con once again. (11:34; the wind kicks up for a sec here – sorry about that) After that bit of nonsense, we talk to Aldo Ghiozzi of Impressions about Free RPG Day 2009, coming June 20 (14:30), and we discuss what gamers should expect from the event. (22:00)
Then we have a lengthy (!) interview with Joseph Goodman (Goodman Games), Steve Chenault (Troll Lord Games), and Aaron "Blackdirge" Rudel (Blackdirge Publishing/Goodman Games). (25:25) This is an interview in the tradition of our previous "GoodLord Games" interviews, so buckle up and hang on. From Goodman's Level Up and Mafia-inspired city of Punjar, to Troll Lord's recently expanded Crusader Magazine and its Harvesters RPG, to Blackdirge's 4e critter products, we ramble through all sorts of things.
After the interview, we briefly discuss print magazines (at 1:00:40), and then Mike reveals that he's getting rid of certain games because he never gets to play them. Then at (1:05:05) we arrive at Currently Playing: Allan got into some Monster Mash-Up, Run for Your Life, Candyman, Princess Bride: Storming the Castle, Hey, That's My Fish, 10 Days in Asia, Blokus, Faerie's Tale, RoboRally, and Primordeal Soup, plus his usual weekly D&D campaign and Tomb Raider: Underworld. Mike has played more Little Big Planet, Rock Band, and tried out The Space Game.
As always, we welcome your thoughts on this stuff. Deposit all comments here (http://ogrecave.com/2009/06/04/audio-report-rumors-of-demise-are-highly-exaggerated/ for those of you reading this on iTunes).
December 26, 2008 - Lists, holidays, and what it all means
With Mike, Allan, and frequent OgreCave kuo-toa Steve Kani.
In our second of two refugee shows from 2008, Steve rejoins us to provide a retailer perspective on the holiday sales season.
We hit some news tidbits up front (foreshadowing our upcoming format change), in the following order:
- (1:40) Some initial praise for the Android launch by FFG.
- (2:20) General thoughts on the Konami/Upper Deck lawsuit over Yu-Gi-Oh! thus far, and how well the game seems to do in our area.
- (5:40) Brief discussion of the December 2nd WotC layoffs, which included Jonathan Tweet and Dave Noonan.
- (8:46) A few thoughts on the attempted takeover of Gen Con LLC.
- (10:08) More thoughts on the Android release, FFG in general, and musing on the success of the Battlestar Galactica board game and Living Card Games.
- (17:25) Once again, other discussion leads into the topic of big board games with big prices.
Then we get to the meat of the show – "wrapping" up the year with talk of gift guides (including our own annual list). This, of course, leads to other discussion:
- (21:48) The San Francisco Chronicle published a holiday gift list, and retailers felt the effects. Some of the newspaper's gift suggestions were rather surprising.
- (24:50) Steve offers his quick synopsis of Stone Age (Rio Grande).
- (28:33) Will a newspaper gift guide convert any casual gamers to full-fledged gamers? We're rather dubious.
- (29:43) This episode's all-important beverage report, followed by some Nostradumbass predictions for 2009. Very Nostradumbass.
- (34:21) Some thoughts on Partini (Parker Brothers), and its similarities to Cranium.
Then we get to Currently Playing:
- (36:20) Steve played Senji (Asmodée), Cosmic Encounter (Avalon Hill), a very heavily inked copy of Titan (Valley Games), Hive (Smart Zone Games), Zimbbos, Coo Coo, and Double Shutter (all from Blue Orange Games), and ends with some bragging about Ninja versus Ninja (Out of the Box).
- (43:19) Over the past few weeks, Allan has sunk his teeth into Rorschach (Bucephalus Games), Backseat Drawing, Apples to Apples, and Ninja versus Ninja (Out of the Box), Ninja Burger: Sumo-size Me! (Steve Jackson Games), Spree! (Cheapass Games), Atlanteon (Fantasy Flight Games), Living Labyrinth and Toboggans of Doom (Bucephalus Games), Simpsons Clue and Life (Parker Brothers), Draco Mundis (Hazaard/Asmodée), Mario Kart on the Wii, and Lego Batman on the 360.
- (53:15) Mike thought Agricola (Z-Man Games) had far too many pieces, but had no problem with Power Grid (Rio Grande). He also played Kill Doctor Lucky (Cheapass Games), Carcassonne (Rio Grande), and the RPG Dirty Secrets (Dark Omen Games). Mike talks briefly about World War 5 (Looney Labs), which is now fully reviewed in OgreCave's review section (http://www.ogrecave.com/reviews).
We end with rambling talk of gifts received, and foreshadow our upcoming gaming challenge. Be sure to check out our eighth annual OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide, and fill in your collection with a few belated gifts to yourself.
Deposit all comments here (http://ogrecave.com/2009/03/08/audio-report-lists-and-holidays/#comments for those of you reading this on iTunes).
November 16, 2008 - Autumn madness
With Mike and Allan.
We're getting caught up after some computer issues and work related delays, but we're back on track, so here's the first of two refugee shows from 2008. Expect an ad or two this show – you have been warned. Some highlights we managed to hit for this episode were:
- (1:06) Our first discussion of the closure of WizKids, prior to the Catalyst/Piñata bids.
- (6:59) Upper Deck's second layoff of 2008, on the same day the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game released.
- (8:36) Our initial thoughts on the WOW Miniatures Game. Mike draws rules comparison to Car Wars, of all things. Then we talk about several concerns we have for the product's potential success.
- (19:31) Mike bemoans his lack of time for playing the latest "new hotnesses" in indie RPGs. He mentions Box Ninja's 3:16 – Carnage Amongst the Stars, which later ended up in our OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide 2008. See our Features section at http://www.ogrecave.com/features for more goodies.
- (20:29) Allan brings up the Gen Con/Lucasfilm lawsuit news (it's been dropped), and the Gen Con charity auction mix-up with the Christian Children's Fund. Boy, someone at CCF dropped the ball on that one.
- (24:06) Some random thoughts on how the industry is gearing up for the final sales push of 2008. Get in the black, or go home!
- (27:11) Currently Playing begins. Allan starts with Monty Python Fluxx (Looney Labs), and general Fluxx discussion ensues. This brings us to a mention of We Didn't Playtest This At All, and to wondering if a board game equivalent to Fluxx exists. Allan also had his Halloween session of D&D 3.5, and played the demo for Penny Arcade: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness.
- (35:45) Having already mentioned 3:16, Mike admits to playing copious amounts of Katamari Damasi and We Love Katamari, as well as World of Goo, and the Magic: The Gathering-like game Spectromancer. With his game group, Mike also got into some Looping Louie, Tannhauser, and others.
- (40:03) Mike squeezes in some quick thoughts on this year's Games 100 list. We make fun of its categories, which, admittedly, we have no right to do. This morphs into discussion/lamentation of the state of game magazine publishing, with even online magazine Pyramid having to make adjustments.
- (44:05) Not content to end there, we talk a bit about what we're looking forward to. Allan's hoping to get into some Okko, Senji, and Tomb Raider: Underworld, and still struggles to find willing players for the Maid RPG. Mike's looking to try some Dirty Secrets, talks about A Flower for Mara, and things degenerate into silliness from there. Mike makes claims that there are no Christmas-themed games, forcing Allan to school him with past reviews from OgreCave's review section (http://www.ogrecave.com/reviews).
Then a quick word from RPGnow and their March Fourth for GM's Day promotion. Check out the cool deals, and pick up something for your GM to inflict upon you.
Be sure to check out our first annual Screams from the Cave feature for a solid dose of horror-themed reviews and other dark goodies.
Deposit all comments here.
October 26, 2008 - Miniatures and fear, sort of
With Mike and Allan.
In this Halloween-ish episode, miniatures seem to dominate our thoughts. At (2:45), we talk about the recent news that D&D Miniatures will be less randomized and no longer support the skirmish combat game. We discuss what this means for gamers, and for Wizards of the Coast.
Then after talking generally about miniatures games (13:10), we make an initial attempt to define what we feel a cross-training gamer should have on hand – starting with the miniatures category and its various subdivisions. (15:57) At (22:07) we try to clear up where big boardgames like Descent and StarCraft would fit in, category-wise.
In other news, Mike's interested in the Epic Adventures and Battle Maps scenario packs for BattleLore and Memoir 44, respectively. (29:17) Then we try to bring things around to spooky games: both Super Genius Games and Goodman Games are working on licensed Call of Cthulhu adventures; Do You Worship Cthulhu? (Toy Vault) and The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow (Asmodée) have both crossed our paths lately (34:20); Mike mentions Hunter: The Vigil (White Wolf) along with a vague notion that he should go pick up Changeling. (35:54)
Currently Playing gets underway at (37:14) – Allan's played Let's Kill! (the Sancho Games version), then provides a quick review of The Haunting House (Twilight Creations). Okko: Era of the Asagiri (Asmodée) is mentioned (41:55), as well as the long-extinct Gregory Horror Show Game. At (44:33) he wraps his side of Currently Playing with a few preliminary comments on Monty Python Fluxx (Looney Labs) (full review to follow soon), and has plans for a nasty Halloween D&D session.
At (49:25) Mike has played ThunderRoad (Milton Bradley; OgreCave mascot game), talks a bit about 3:16 – Carnage Amongst the Stars (BoxNinja). He also mentions a game he's playtesting, Misery Bubblegum (Muse of Fire Games), and is getting excited about Superstruct. (52:46)
We finish at (55:03) with a few bits of business. First, a mention of the Screams from the Cave event, which includes OgreCave's Random Encounter interview with Harley Stroh of Goodman Games about the upcoming Age of Cthulhu line. Then a reminder that listeners did indeed win prizes in last month's podcast contest – see the winner list we announced at this link, and thanks for joining in the fun.
Place your comments over here.
September 12, 2008 - Ogre's Choice 2008, and podcast prizes!
With Mike, Allan, and Steve.
Note: Listen carefully during this OgreCave Audio Report episode, and learn how to participate in the multi-podcast Secret Codes Contest (see below).
Our third annual Ogre's Choice Awards stumble in and sit on all the fragile antique furniture. As always, we cover a wide range of categories, some with surprises, and we take no prisoners. The official 2008 Ogre's Choice Award page is available for those who want to play along at home.
After the awards, we get into Currently Playing: Mike has played A Touch of Evil (Flying Frog), Tomb (AEG), We Didn't Playtest This at All (Asmadi Games), OgreCave's mascot game ThunderRoad (Milton Bradley), and did some initial fiddling with Monsterpocalypse (Privateer Press). Other than the weekly D&D 3.5 campaign, Steve may be running his Cyberpunk group soon. Allan got into some Facts in Five (University Games), Agricola (Z-Man Games), and Jungle Speed (Asmodée), plus the weekly D&D game.
Now, about the Secret Codes Contest: OgreCave has joined forces with four other gaming podcasts to form Voltron – wait, it's actually to offer up $250 of free game goodies. Listen carefully to find out how you can participate – the details are in this show, somewhere. We made sure to enunciate.
Participating Shows:
- Atomic Array
- Brilliant Gameologists
- OgreCave Audio Report (where you are now)
- The Podgecast
- The Tome Show
Each winner will receive one of ten $25 gift certificates from Noble Knight Games. You have your quest – get going, and good luck!
Check back with OgreCave throughout October for our Screams from the Cave event, where we focus on all things creepy, fearful, or monstrous. And if you feel so inclined, place your comments here.


text:
A new report says Missouri's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.6 percent last month while employers expanded payrolls by a net of 3,700 jobs.
Tuesday's report from the Department of Economic Development says the biggest gains were in the professional and business services sector, which added 3,600 jobs in May. Leisure and hospitality sector jobs increased by 2,500, and manufacturing positions grew by 2,100.
Those gains were partly offset by losses of 3,500 jobs in the construction sector and 600 in trade, transportation and utilities.
Missouri's seasonally adjusted civilian labor force of about 3 million people declined by 630 people in May. The labor force counts people with jobs and those who are on unemployment but looking for work.


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With defendant James "Whitey" Bulger sitting less than 8 feet away and staring straight ahead, a star government witness in the case against Bulger explained Monday why he turned against the man he long counted among "my partners in crime, my best friends."
Aging mobster John Martorano said he learned Bulger was an FBI informant, the worst thing you could be in "Southie," a part of Boston that prided itself on absolute loyalty.
"It broke my heart. It broke all loyalties," said Martorano, his testimony laced with what sounded like sadness.
Late Monday night, Bulger's defense filed a motion requesting that the court inform the jury that Martorano is a cooperating government witness and is testifying in exchange for a lesser sentence on murder charges. Martorano pleaded guilty to 10 murders in 1999 and later admitted to 20, so defense attorney J.W. Carney said the jury should be told to consider Martorano's testimony with caution.
Prosecutor Fred Wyshak responded Tuesday that the defense was "playing games" and said issuing a cautionary instruction mid-testimony would "send a very bad message to the jury."
Judge Denise Casper did not rule on the motion but said she would consider issuing instructions regarding nonspecific witnesses when the jury is read the final charges.
Bulger is charged in the deaths of 19 people during the nearly two decades that federal prosecutors say he was the head of the Irish mob in Boston.
For three decades, Martorano said, he was tight with Bulger and Bulger's partner, Steven Flemmi.
"They were my partners in crime, my best friends, my children's godfathers," said the 72-year-old divorced mobster who now lives on Social Security and who sold his life story in hopes of getting it made into a movie.
The men were so close, Martorano even named his youngest son "James Steven" after his two friends.
In a flat, emotionless voice, former hitman Martorano began to describe some of the murders he said he committed, several of them, he testified, with Bulger along.
Martorano said he was the trigger man while Bulger was backup to ensure the "hit" was successful.
In one case, Bulger used his car to block a target coming out a side street. Martorano, who said he was firing out the back window from another car during the incident, testified that Bulger "was afraid he was going to get shot because tracer bullets were coming out of the machine gun and flying over his head."
"Was he angry?" asked Wyshak, the prosecutor.
"No. He was joking about it," replied Martorano.
Martorano also described the killings of two brothers after one of them had angered Bulger's gang.
One brother was tracked down at a restaurant in Medford, Massachusetts, and "I shot him in the heart," Martorano said.
When the other brother was killed later, Bulger and his gang stashed the body in the trunk of a car then drove the car south and dropped it at a housing project in South Carolina where, as he had expected, "a few kids stole the car," Martorano said.
Under a plea deal, Martorano was sentenced to 14 years in prison in exchange for fully testifying against Bulger. He served 12 years and was released in 2007.
His testimony also was crucial against corrupt FBI agent John Connolly, who was found guilty in federal court on racketeering and obstruction-of-justice charges, among others.
Connolly served 10 years in federal prison and is now doing an additional 40 years in state prison after being found guilty for his role in the murder of Florida businessman and former World Jai Alai owner John Callahan.
Flemmi, Bulger's partner, is serving life terms without parole but avoided a possible death sentence by cooperating with federal authorities.
The connection between Bulger and Connolly also was the focus of Martorano's testimony Monday.
Martorano said Bulger grew up in the same Boston housing project as Connolly, who looked up to both Bulger and his brother William, who rose to serve as state Senate president in Massachusetts.
According to Martorano's testimony, when Connolly returned to Boston as an FBI agent, he thanked "Billy" Bulger for "keeping me honest" and told him "If there's anything I can do ..."
Billy Bulger said, "If you could keep my brother out of trouble, that would be a great help," according to Martorano.
Martorano testified that he, Whitey Bulger and the others agreed that Whitey would meet with Connolly and "be a good listener." It wasn't long before Whitey Bulger was giving Connolly money and buying gifts including unset diamonds for Connolly to give to his fiancee as an engagement present, Martorano said.
Prosecutors and law enforcement officials say it was the corrupt relationship between Whitey Bulger and Connolly that allowed Bulger's criminal enterprise to grow and even facilitated some murders.
The trial, which enters its fifth day Tuesday, is expected to take up to three months and has the potential to reveal sensational details about the mob and FBI corruption, especially if Bulger chooses to testify.
Bulger was in hiding for 16 years before he was captured in Santa Monica, California, two years ago, living under a false name with his girlfriend in an apartment.
At his July 2011 arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the 19 murder charges and 13 other counts.


text:
February 29, 2020 6:30 pm
February 29, 2020 11:30 pm
Fees & Tickets
Event Venue
pin Chartway Arena 4320 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, Virginia 23529
Email: email@example.com
Full Speed Ahead is a Sports Performance Company founded by Naval Academy graduate and former collegiate and professional athlete Shun White. The company specializes in the preparing and training athletes across all sports giving them the edge needed to maximize potential and perform at a high level. Leadership and Integrity is at the core of what we believe in at Full Speed Ahead and every athlete we train will be the embodiment of those principles. Being a leader on the field is a given but how an athlete conducts themselves off the field displays and builds character. All Full Speed Ahead athletes will embrace what we call the 3 D's: Discipline, Dedication, and Determination! We will push all athletes to their limits enforcing a culture of humility and a belief that with hard work anything is possible.
632 N Witchduck Rd. Va Beach, VA 23462
Jhane's is a full service restaurant, bakery, and entertainment lounge.
731 Granby Stret Norfolk, Virginia
Storefront American joint dishing out sandwiches, salads & full dinners, with vegetarian options.
748 Shirley Ave, Norfolk, VA 23517
We had lunch here a few times while on the island visiting family and friends. The servers here are just wonderful and have great memories it seems. We sat on the ocean front patio and enjoyed the view with our delicious wine and lunch. Must try!
Overall, my experience was positive. I was up and running within minutes of installing it, and the thing is much faster than the old one I had to return as defective.
When I set up the appointment, I had a feeling the rep on the phone was busy, and didn't hear me when I answered his questions, but I wasn't about to pay for the mistake. I'll keep it in mind next time I call their 1-800 number, but I'm really glad the people on the ground are flexible enough to make adjustments on the fly. That alone earned some respect.
The housecleaning crew arrived on time, which was impressive considering I'd only made the appointment the same morning. The cleaner in charge came in first while the others got their equipment out of the truck, and went over the paperwork with me. She took a look around, and presented an estimate that was a bit higher than I was expecting.
On October 17, I stopped by The Ten Top and I experienced the best tuna melt I've ever had. Bread was lightly toasted and tuna was fresh and prepared perfectly. AND THE CHEESE … was delicious.


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CHA, Springside students find themselves renewed after tests of Outward Bound
by Allie Schreffler
[caption id="attachment_787" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Hikers from Springside School and Chestnut Hill Academy Sarrah Schreffler, Graham Allen, Skip Rosamilia and Mariel Soto Reyes show evidence of the copious and freezing rain endured during the 5-day Outward Bound journey in the Michaux State Forest. (Photo by Skip Rosamilia)"][/caption]
As most students relaxed during the mid-November pause between Halloween and Thanksgiving, Springside School's Erik Dreisbach and Chestnut Hill Academy's. Robert St. George accompanied a group of 22 Springside and CHA students on a leadership course conducted by Outward Bound Philadelphia.
The schools are interested in creating an Upper School experiential peer leadership program and partnered with Outward Bound for this pilot program. In order to gain entry to this five-day trek along the Appalachian Trail, all interested freshmen and sophomores submitted an application and essay --11 students from each school were selected. The expedition took place in the Michaux State Forest near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
The students divided into two co-ed patrols of 11 students, one faculty mentor, and two Outward Bound instructors. Each patrol, traveling in separate directions, backpacked, rock climbed and learned basic wilderness survival skills. These relatively small groups developed into two tight-knit communities. Springside freshman Sarrah Schreffler said it was each member's "positive attitude and common goals" that kept the patrols united.
Some activities -- like hiking without instructors -- forced the students to rely solely on mutual trust. All together, it "proved how much we had learned and grown together as a group," said Springside sophomore Kylie Grow.
Each participant learned to feel comfortable enough to place complete trust in the other patrol members. Some students struggled to find words powerful enough to emphasize the importance and closeness of the patrols. As CHA sophomore John Henry put it, such group experiences "help you understand yourself and others better."
But there was more on this Outward Bound trip than group building activities to test the students. Both patrols endured days of freezing rain, armed only with tents, rain gear, and a canopy of withering and almost leafless trees. One night, during a particularly torrential downpour, the instructors woke the students at midnight to do a "lightning drill" as a necessary safety measure.
"We sat in 'lightning position (designed to minimize lightning damage) from midnight to 1 a.m.," recalled CHA freshman Harrison Tracy.
But in a time of weariness and severe weather, Tracy's group made the best of its situation.
"We played a game we dubbed 'lightening round' … [in which] you shouted out two things like cats and dogs or summer vs. winter, and you had to say which was your favorite," he said. "Soon enough, the idea of being stuck in the rain at 1 a.m. no longer seemed so terrible."
Despite the agony of being awake during an early morning dose of sleet and lightning, many students cited this particular night as their favorite moment of the trip, a true testament to the ability of the students to overcome even the most dismal situation.
Both schools definitely view the expedition as a major and rewarding success that has enhanced each student's education.
"From everything I have heard, the experience was profoundly meaningful., said Springside Head of School Dr. Priscilla Sands.
Springside's Dreisbach agreed:
"In addition to increasing the strength of one's mind and body, a student must also have the opportunity to strengthen his or her own spirit in order to truly experience a well-rounded education," he said.
CHA Headmaster Frank Steel, also pleased with the turnout of the course, said both schools are "eager to see how we might enlarge the program," which he called "a wonderful extension of the our outdoor education."
Both schools hope to use such experiences to extend the bounds of traditional education and to encourage intellectual growth in ways that Dresibach believes are "only possible by such an experience."
As an Outward Bound alumna myself, I can confirm that after any Outward Bound expedition, the person who enters the woods will become only a lesser and half-forgotten image of the person who emerges from it at the end.
Most of the participants believe that everyone should participate in something similar.
"It doesn't matter if you're not 'into' the whole being in the woods part," said CHA freshman Graham Allen "You forget that. I would strongly recommend this to anybody … it changed me in ways I can't even verbalize."
Allie Schreffler is a junior at Springside School, writes for the school newspaper, and is an Outward Bound alumna of their 'Heroic Journey' course (Summer 2009).